What is Nachat Ruach

Nachat Ruach (or Nachas Ruach) is a concept that is difficult to translate. For clinical purposes, the state of nachat ruach is related to being calm and relaxed, but it is different from being “mellow” or “chilled out” somewhat like serenity and tranquility, or being fulfilled and happy, but not exactly.

The Nachat Ruach Treatment Model defines the Hebrew phrase “nachat ruach” as an inner sense of wellbeing and basic security (“I’m really ok”) experienced by focusing one’s attention on “just being alive” in the “here and now”, with more awareness, appreciation and acceptance that the present moment is constantly being created by Hashem. A desirable and pleasant emotional and spiritual state, nachat ruach also connotes inner fulfillment and gratification of the spirit. This state is in strong contrast to the “shortness of breath” or “kotzer ruach” that most people are experiencing when they start counseling or wanting to work on themselves.

Quite often people say, “I have everything but I am not really happy.”

Nachat ruach challenges the modern Western culture’s frantic “pursuit of happiness”. Nachat ruach is not actively sought per se. At the same time, nachat ruach is an inner desirable state that people want to achieve. The experience of nachat ruach is incompatible with anxiety and is a result of coming to terms with one’s life, by “letting go” of unrealistic expectations to be in control all the time, while appreciating and accepting more “who you are” and “what you have”, rather than focusing on “what you lack”. Experiencing Nachat Ruach implies having increased self-acceptance, self-respect and self-confidence and this is one of the goals of the Torah based clinical meditation and hypnotherapy that has been developed.